Karizma: Reborn

Chapter 19: Ryleigh

Ryleigh stood beside Lukas nervously in the woods behind the pack's property. When Ryleigh and Lukas had returned to their home after training, Lukas had visited Jackson while Ryleigh showered. He advised Jackson to relay the invitation to the woods to the rest of the pack. Lycans trickled their way through the pack houses into the woods and waited for their Alpha's announcement.

Ryleigh's nervousness was heightened with awkwardness; for an announcement so grand, Ryleigh felt that wearing her traditional jeans and t-shirt would be inappropriate, so she chose a dress. She was wearing a light red sundress that fell just above her knees, the thin straps resting against her shoulders. Her crimson hair was displayed across her breasts. Lukas stood beside her in jeans with a red silk shirt to match her dress, his hair slicked back. Jackson stood on the other side of Lukas with his arms crossed over his black muscle shirt paired with jeans. Ryleigh glanced at Bailey beside her and was met with a smile. Bailey was wearing a pair of jeans shorts with a blue blouse, her brown hair pulled into a ponytail.

Ryleigh had spoken with Bailey before meeting Lukas in the woods and told her that they were going to tell the pack everything. She had asked Bailey for her consent to tell the pack about her as well; that, not only was their Luna a Karizma, but that the Luna had a sister Karizma. Ryleigh loathed the idea of more people knowing about Bailey, but she felt that the pack had a right to know. Bailey had stated that she could not argue with the Luna if that was what the Luna had wished, and Ryleigh immediately argued that she would never be the Luna to her sister; they would be sisters, and Bailey would be treated as such. Bailey stated that if Ryleigh, as her sister, felt that it was best to reveal the secret, that it must be the best decision. Their entire lives were built on the secrecy of their identities; if Ryleigh felt that people needed to know, it only enhanced the seriousness of the war that was to come.

Lukas turned to Ryleigh and held his hand out to her, and she hesitated. She wanted to hold his hand during this, to feel grounded and safe during this exposure, but she also thought that it showed a weakness. Ryleigh had never needed to rely on someone else to steady her and holding hands during something so serious seemed childish. But holding hands also signifies unity, she thought, and that is something that we need to show our people. Slowly, she intertwined her fingers with his, and the awkwardness and nervousness were washed away. Confidence flooded through her veins, and she inhaled softly. Lukas squeezed her hand, and she shifted her gaze to the pack in front of her.

"As you all well know," Lukas began. "A few weeks ago, a witch was brought to us that had passed. With the help of myself and another witch, she was revived." He nodded to Ryleigh. "Upon the witch's rebirth, I found my mate in her, in Ryleigh." Soft gasps and mutters of surprise skittered amongst the lycans, but Lukas ignored them and continued. "Out of respect for her, I waited until she was ready to announce her to you. I understand that this should have been conveyed as soon as I knew, but she was not born into this. I wanted to wait until she had time to process what the mating bond was before I said anything."

The murmurs amongst the pack members grew louder, both in excitement and irritation. The females, Ryleigh realized. The unmated females in the pack bore gold orbs of jealous rage at her. Ryleigh felt a low growl bubble in her throat. Lukas squeezed her hand again and continued. "It is also time that you understand the circumstances of Ryleigh's death, and why it is relevant now. Your Luna is not just a witch, she is a Karizma." The pack began shouting now. "She was hunted," Lukas' loud voice boomed over the pack. "She was hunted and murdered by the Karizma Killer vampire. He had grown a heart with her and brought her to me, where she was resurrected. Upon her rebirth, she shared rather troubling information about her captors."

Ryleigh inhaled sharply and squeezed Lukas' hand for stability as she spoke. "The Karizma Killer may have ended my life, but he did it out of mercy. Like your Alpha said, the Karizma Killer grew a heart." The pack before her remained quiet, despite the shocked glances that were tossed from one another. "I was kidnapped by the Master and Mistress Vampire first, the two beings that put the bounty on the Karizma bloodline centuries ago. The Mistress Vampire was quite chatty with me, and I understood why my kind was being slaughtered." She inhaled slowly as she braced for the pack's reaction with her next admission: "The Mistress Vampire is a Karizma as well."